EXCLUSIVE: Russian ambassador says Israeli attacks in Syria violate int’l law

STR / AFP ©

Syrian air defence batteries respond to an Israeli missile strike against an alleged Iranian target near Damascus on January 21

On hopes to release Israeli Naama Issachar from Russian prison, Viktorov says ‘cannot comment’

Russian Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov told i24NEWS that the Kremlin “condemns” Israel’s air strikes in Syria, saying they are a violation of international law.

“In our contacts with Israeli colleagues we are trying to persuade them to get rid of such behavior because these military activities do not contribute to the stabilization of the military situation here,” Viktorov said in an exclusive interview with Nurit Ben aired on The Rundown Wednesday evening.

“These attacks on the territory of a sovereign state” violate international law, he asserted, brandishing a pocket copy of the UN charter — which he also pulled out in defense of Iran’s presence in the war-torn country as a “legitimate request of the Syrian government,” and therefore “legal according to the UN Charter.”

Advocating Israel opt for diplomacy over military action with both Iran and Bashar al-Assad’s regime, he described the Islamic Republic as one of Moscow’s “close partners” in Syria, jointly fighting alongside Russian troops “against terrorism.”

Resisting use of the term “cooperation” between Moscow and Jerusalem, Viktorov suggested there was coordination out of practical concerns, “especially during recent years, there was some military activity by Israel; and due to the Russian military presence in Syria… our goal is to save the lives and health of our military.”

But there is also recognition of Jerusalem’s “legitimate security concerns” in regards to Iran’s presence near Israel’s northern border, he admitted.

Turning to a diplomatic point of contention, when asked whether President Vladimir Putin would consider pardoning Israeli civilian Naama Issachar — sentenced by a Russian court to 7.5 years in prison — Viktorov expressed sympathy but remained mum on the possibility.

“I understand the feelings of her mother and family because it’s a very, very unpleasant situation… but I cannot comment on a court decision. There have been speculations in the press here, and even in Russia, about whether it was a just decision… I don’t know. The picture presented was that she was just a transit passenger [traveling] through Moscow.”